Booklet Highlights Workers' Plight

Working Families booklet highlights struggles as part of women's economic agenda

HARTFORD — People linked to a progressive political organization delivered booklets filled with stories of struggling workers to state legislators Thursday at the Legislative Office Building.

The booklets highlight what the organization, Connecticut Working Families, calls its Women's Economic Agenda, which focuses on policies intended to help working women and families.

"Our economy isn't working for far too many workers," said Lindsay Farrell, executive director of Connecticut Working Families. "But, it's even harder for women who are facing a huge gender wage gap and are far much more likely to have sole family caregiving responsibilities."

The group collected stories it said emphasize the need for what it calls "family friendly workplaces" from thousands of men and women in various fields across the state.

"We decided to put some of these stories into a book and deliver it directly to legislators so that they can hear from real, hardworking families and not just corporate lobbyists like they hear from every day," Farrell said. "The stories really make it clear, painfully clear, that the families are suffering and we need legislative action."

Included in the booklets are proposed legislative solutions such as establishing an insurance-style paid family and medical leave program, expanding the state's paid sick days program, eliminating the separate tipped-worker minimum wage and requiring advanced schedule planning from employers.

"We need legislators to pass the laws that are going to protect people from unpredictable changing schedules so that we can plan our lives and pay our bills," said Claudina Quiñones Cruz, a West Haven resident and health care worker. "We need legislators to do more for the people."